


Cinnamon Sugar and Christmas Spirit

by pandora_rose_xo



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Baking, Christmas Music, Christmas films, December - Freeform, F/M, Harmony - Freeform, Mulled wine, Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, Post War, Putting Harry to work, Traditions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:34:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27958475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandora_rose_xo/pseuds/pandora_rose_xo
Summary: There has been a long-standing tradition of baking around Christmas, one that Hermione has tried to keep up with. This year she ropes Harry in to help her, which he does happily. Though he is happier when she cracks open the drink and says she will finish it herself the following day.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Harry Potter
Comments: 5
Kudos: 37
Collections: Harmony Advent Collection 2020





	Cinnamon Sugar and Christmas Spirit

The kitchen table was laid out with most of the ingredients that Hermione thought they could need, the only ones not laid out before her were the ones that needed to be used straight out of the fridge. It had been quite a while since she had baked this much - the last time must have been back before the war with her mum. The sight of it all gave her giddy feelings in her belly and made her remember her more carefree years. She was grateful, yet again, to Harry for agreeing to do this with her. 

He walked through the door, he looked dog tired, but his face lit up at the sight of the table and at Hermione stood there in an elf apron. “You look a picture,” he laughed as he flopped down into one of the chairs that had been pulled out from its place at the table. “Can I have a sit down before you put me to work with whatever tasks I am sure you have for me on a list somewhere,”

Hermione blushed at his words, he knew her so well. She did have a list of everything that she wanted them to get done in a list in her apron pocket. Not that she planned on letting him see it. The teasing would be unending if she did. “Of course I can,” she said with a smile. “What sort of slave-driver do you take me for?” She asked a joke clearly in her voice. In all the years that they had known each other, she knew that was far from how he saw her, she was just meticulous and liked plans, they made her feel safe, feel in some form of control. Which after the war and everything was  _ exactly _ what she needed. 

“I’m feigning innocence and not answering that one,” he said with a wry smirk on his face, “have we got any food? I am starving.”

“In the fridge, there is some ham and cheese and there is bread in the pantry, you can make yourself a sandwich, I know you are that capable.” She said, grinning at him sweetly, she wasn’t his pet, his slave or his housewife. They shared things equally - there was no way she was being put into that box which included being at his beck and call for any little thing that he may want. She mentally checked off her list, making sure she did have everything that they would need. Or at least everything that didn’t need to be in the fridge. 

:: :: ::

Whilst Harry was eating and relaxing after his day at work Hermione weighed out the ingredients for the pastry, seeing as it needed time to rest she figured that was the best place to start, and it was sometimes easier for her to do that alone than have him under her feet and in the way. 

Three batches of pastry later and slightly sore hands Harry finally made a reappearance in the kitchen. “You started without me,” he sulked, not fully sad about it. “Should I put some music on?” he asked, figuring that it would get them into the Christmas spirit, his next option was to crack open a bottle of  _ something _ but he knew she would disapprove of that, at least until everything was out of the oven, this wasn’t his first time helping her do the Chrismas baking. 

“I only did the pastry, you hate that so stop pouting,” she glared at him. “Sure, just don’t make it deafeningly loud though?” 

With a quick, almost imperceptible, nod of his head he flicked his wand to the radio that was on one of the countertops and  _ White Christmas _ started playing softly, filling the room with the dulcet tones of Michael Buble, a singer Harry knew that Hermione loved. 

“Are you okay to grate me some cheese?” She asked Harry as she threw an apron at him. She headed towards the fridge that she had installed in the old larder. She grabbed a block of cheese and one pack of her pastry out. 

“How much?” He asked as she moved to his side and put the block of cheese in front of him before returning to her work station. 

“We need about…” she consulted her recipe book to double-check, “six handfuls. If you grate too much it’s okay, we can always use it up somehow.”

“Okay,” he nods as he rolls his sleeves up and puts on the apron. “I can do that.” 

She smiles as she watches him get to work on the cheese, and she dusts the table and her rolling pin with flour before beginning to roll out the pastry. Humming along with the music as she does. 

Between them they made quick work of making the cheese twists, as soon as they were in the oven Harry clapped his hands together and eagerly asked what was next. They were veering away from the pastry and making biscuits. She put him on the task of making the shortbreads whilst she tackled the gingerbread. Both of which were going to be covered in icing later on once they cool. 

:: :: ::

With flour clouding the air and the smell of spices filling the room Hermione was well and truly in the festive spirit. To the point that she prepared a pan and everything to make a batch of mulled wine for the pair of them. She had found her love of it at Christmas Markets in the years after she finished at Hogwarts, if it was up to her she would drink it all year round, with a base of red or white wine. She wasn’t fussed. Though she was just as happy to swap to sangria when the weather heated up. 

One the last batch of biscuits were on the cooling racks and the mulled wine was ready she poured them both a good glassful, “do you want to take a break?” She asked. “We can always do the rest in the morning,” she added. Smirking at his frown. “Or should I say that  _ I _ can do the rest in the morning, I wouldn’t dream of making you get up early on the day before Christmas Eve.” 

“I like the sound of that,” he yawned. “That mulled wine does smell heavenly, should we clean up here and go upstairs?” He asked, with a yawn. 

Hermione waved her wand and the mess was soon all gone, “done, upstairs we go.” She said. Smiling as she handed him a  steaming glass of heavenly scented mulled wine, adorned with a slice of orange and a cinnamon stick just like her own. 

:: :: ::

“What film do you want to watch?” He asked as they neared the drawing-room. Even though they ha lived here, together, for a year and a half it still felt crazy to him to walk around it like it was his home. It was even crazier to see the way that they had modernised it, to make it feel more like home.    
Like the large screen TV and DVD player that they’d had installed in the drawing-room. He stalked towards the shelves which held their extensive collection of DVDs. “Or should I not have to as,” he said with a grin as he pulled out  _ Nightmare Before Christmas _ and held it out to show her. 

Hermione mutely nodded at his pic, her favourite Christmas movie… one she will watch anywhere from Halloween to Christmas and had a bad habit of watching multiple times in a year. “That’s the one,” she said as she settled down, folding her legs beneath her and dragging her favourite fluffy blanket across her knees as she waited for him to come and settle down beside her. 

This is what Christmas had always been like at home, and she was glad that she was able to carry on those traditions here in her new home, just in time for them to begin thinking of starting their own family. Something that had briefly talked about and something she hoped would happen in the not too distant future. 

As soon as the DVD was in Harry grabbed the remote and came and settled down next to her, he slung his arm around her shoulders and she laid her head on his chest as the opening titles played. A smile crossing her face as she sighed, right before she started humming along to the music. 

:: :: ::

When the credits began rolling Hermione tipped her head back to look at Harry, “I love you,” she whispered as he leant down to kiss her. 

“I love you too,” he replied. “Do you want to watch another film?” He asked. 

She nodded, but rather than move and disturb her he summoned the film he wanted and with his wand swapped them over and began playing it.

Before he knew it her breathing had slowed, and she was asleep. Her chest rising and falling with her deep breaths. He hugged her to him as he watched the film, not wanting to move her or wake her. 


End file.
